International Day for Women in Maritime falls on 18 May each year. We are proud to celebrate this day, which shines a spotlight on women's contributions to the maritime industry and advocates for their participation across the sector.
2025: An Ocean of Opportunities for Women
This year’s theme is ‘An Ocean of Opportunities for Women’. It aligns with the 2025 World Maritime Day theme ‘Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity’.
Despite the gender gap, our industry has many different opportunities for women.
International Day for Women in Maritime serves as a platform to foster discussions about both industry challenges and opportunities. It also inspires greater female involvement in shaping a safer maritime environment for all.
Together, let's foster safe and inclusive workplaces to pave the way for increased diversity and excellence in our industry.
Event details
Thursday 15 May 2025
Australian Maritime College, Launceston, Tasmania
In person and online attendance options available.
Watch AMSA's 2024 event
Interviews: What this day means
AMSA stakeholders and maritime students talk about what IDWiM means to them the importance of gender equality.
Mariana Noceti, Principal Programme Assistant, Women in Maritime Programme, Sub-Division for Programme Management and Coordination, Technical Cooperation Division, International Maritime Organization (IMO) shares with AMSA the importance of gender equality.
"teams that have men and women have greater innovation"
Maritime Training Adviser - Women In Maritime Focal Point at The Pacific Community (SPC), Ore Toua spoke to AMSA about what International Day for Women in Maritime means to her and diversity in the maritime sector.
Dinah Inape-Omenefa is a PacWIMA chairperson and spoke to AMSA recently about how the IMO International Day of Women in Maritime highlights the contribution of women to the whole maritime economy and trade.
Mereseni Rakuita, The Pacific Community’s (SPC) Principal Strategic Lead–Pacific Women spoke with AMSA at the PacWIMA conference about what International Women in Maritime Day means to her. Merseni provides strategic oversight on SPC’s gender program and is an advocate for the empowerment of women and girls.
Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) president Monika Lemajic spoke to AMSA recently at the PacWIMA Conference about what IDWiM means to her and gender equality.
Hear from Maritime students, Tenisha Jones, Danielle Flower, Samantha Hoestra, Cameron Skeggs and Lucy Barr.
How the day started
International Day for Women in Maritime was first pitched to the IMO in 2019 by the Pacific Women in Maritime Association (PacWIMA). It received the unanimous support of member states.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) officially launched the first International Day for Women in Maritime on 18 May 2022. This day is now marked annually on the IMO calendar and is celebrated globally across industry, gaining momentum each year.